Systems and Methods for Determining Data Relating to an Animal Based on Prioritized Information

ABSTRACT

Described herein are systems and methods for tracking an animal comprising—for example: an electronic device configured to be implanted within an animal and comprising: one or more sensors configured to determine information relating to the animal; a memory device configured to store the information relating to the animal; a communication interface configured to wirelessly and transcutaneously communicate the information to an external device according to predetermined priority rules; and a battery device for providing power to at least one of the one or more sensors or the communication interface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. ProvisionalApplication Nos. 63/278,240; 63/278,250; and 63/278,293, filed Nov. 11,2021; the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties.

BACKGROUND

Movement or location data relating to an animal (e.g., a pet) can havemany uses in understanding animal health, well-being, and behavior.Collars are known that can collect some behavior data of the animal.However, many animals do not wear collars, or they have a limitedability to wear collars. For example, animals may not wear collars dueto the animal's size, due to the collar being uncomfortable for theanimal, or due to owners of the animal preferring the animal to not weara collar. Further, there may be safety concerns around collar use,especially if there is a danger of the collar getting caught onsomething and thereby presenting a choking hazard. Despite the reasonsfor an animal to not wear a collar, data relating to the animal isimportant to collect. Thus, it is desired that a device capable ofmonitoring behavioral data of an animal be implantable within theanimal. Such device would be capable of monitoring the movement orlocation data of the animal without the animal wearing a collar, whichwould overcome the shortcomings described above.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure may be directed, in an aspect, to a device,method, and/or system for determining location or movement informationrelating to the animal via an electronic device implanted within theanimal. The electronic device may include at least one componentcomprising: one or more sensors comprising at least one of anaccelerometer, gyroscope, or magnetometer, the one or more sensorsconfigured to determine the location or movement information relating tothe animal; a memory device configured to store the location or movementinformation relating to the animal; a communication interface configuredto wirelessly communicate the location or movement information with anexternal device according to a predetermined priority rule; and abattery device for providing power to the at least one of theaccelerometer, gyroscope, or magnetometer. A charging device may beprovided to wirelessly provide power to the electronic device.

In an aspect, the gyroscope, the information derived from theaccelerometer may be assigned a higher priority than the informationderived from the magnetometer and/or gyroscope. The information derivedfrom the magnetometer may be used with the information derived from theaccelerometer to estimate a distance and/or direction traveled by theanimal. The information derived from the gyroscope is used with theinformation derived from the accelerometer to estimate a distancetraveled by the animal. The priority of the information derived from theaccelerometer and magnetometer may be lowered during light activityperiods of the animal. The light activity periods of the animal mayinclude periods in which the animal is resting, sleeping, eating,urinating, and/or defecating. The priority of the information derivedfrom the gyroscope may be heightened during periods in which the animalis performing intense physical activity. The periods in which the animalis performing intense physical activity may include periods in which theanimal is running and/or jumping.

In other embodiments, the present invention provides a system fortracking an animal comprising: an electronic device configured to beimplanted within an animal and comprising: one or more sensorsconfigured to determine information relating to the animal; a memorydevice configured to store the information relating to the animal; acommunication interface configured to wirelessly and transcutaneouslycommunicate the information to an external device according topredetermined priority rules; and a battery device for providing powerto at least one of the one or more sensors or the communicationinterface.

Still further embodiments of the present invention provide a method fortracking an animal comprising: implanting an electronic device within ananimal, the electronic device comprising: one or more sensors configuredto determine the information relating to the animal; a memory deviceoperably coupled to the one or more sensors; a communication interfaceoperably coupled to the one or more sensors or the memory device; and abattery device for providing power to at least one of the one or moresensors or the communication interface determining, using the one ormore sensors, information relating to the animal; storing, by the memorydevice, the information relating to the animal; and wirelessly andtranscutaneously communicating, by the communication interface, theinformation relating to the animal to an external device according topredetermined priority rules.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will become more fully understood from thedetailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an example implantable device that may be used to determineinformation relating to an animal, as described herein;

FIG. 2 shows a component diagram of an example implantable device thatmay be used to determine information relating to an animal, as describedherein;

FIG. 3 is an example system in which information relating to an animalmay be provided by an implantable device, as described herein;

FIG. 4 is an example in which an implantable device may be charged by anexternal device, as described herein;

FIG. 5 is another example in which an implantable device may be chargedby an external device, as described herein;

FIG. 6 is an example of a device that may be used to charge animplantable device, as described herein; and

FIG. 7 is an example process describing an implantable device providinginformation relating to an animal, as described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merelyexemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention orinventions. The description of illustrative embodiments is intended tobe read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to beconsidered part of the entire written description. In the description ofthe exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, any reference to directionor orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and isnot intended in any way to limit the scope of the present inventions.Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,”“above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “left,” “right,” “top,” “bottom,”“front” and “rear” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,”“downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to theorientation as then described or as shown in the drawing underdiscussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description onlyand do not require a particular orientation unless explicitly indicatedas such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,”“interconnected,” “secured” and other similar terms refer to arelationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one anothereither directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well asboth movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expresslydescribed otherwise.

The discussion herein describes and illustrates some possiblenon-limiting combinations of features that may exist alone or in othercombinations of features. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “or” isto be interpreted as a logical operator that results in true wheneverone or more of its operands are true. Furthermore, as used herein, thephrase “based on” is to be interpreted as meaning “based at least inpart on,” and therefore is not limited to an interpretation of “basedentirely on.”

As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each andevery value that is within the range. Any value within the range can beselected as the terminus of the range. In addition, all references citedherein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. In theevent of a conflict in a definition in the present disclosure and thatof a cited reference, the present disclosure controls.

Features of the present inventions may be implemented in software,hardware, firmware, or combinations thereof. The computer programsdescribed herein are not limited to any particular embodiment, and maybe implemented in an operating system, application program, foregroundor background processes, driver, or any combination thereof. Thecomputer programs may be executed on a single computer or serverprocessor or multiple computer or server processors.

Processors described herein may be any central processing unit (CPU),microprocessor, micro-controller, computational, or programmable deviceor circuit configured for executing computer program instructions (e.g.,code). Various processors may be embodied in computer and/or serverhardware of any suitable type (e.g., desktop, laptop, notebook, tablets,cellular phones, etc.) and may include all the usual ancillarycomponents necessary to form a functional data processing deviceincluding without limitation a bus, software and data storage such asvolatile and non-volatile memory, input/output devices, graphical userinterfaces (GUIs), removable data storage, and wired and/or wirelesscommunication interface devices including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (e.g.,Bluetooth classic, Bluetooth low energy), LAN, etc.

Computer-executable instructions or programs (e.g., software or code)and data described herein may be programmed into and tangibly embodiedin a non-transitory computer-readable medium that is accessible to andretrievable by a respective processor as described herein whichconfigures and directs the processor to perform the desired functionsand processes by executing the instructions encoded in the medium. Adevice embodying a programmable processor configured to suchnon-transitory computer-executable instructions or programs may bereferred to as a “programmable device”, or “device”, and multipleprogrammable devices in mutual communication may be referred to as a“programmable system.” It should be noted that non-transitory“computer-readable medium” as described herein may include, withoutlimitation, any suitable volatile or non-volatile memory includingrandom access memory (RAM) and various types thereof, read-only memory(ROM) and various types thereof, USB flash memory, and magnetic oroptical data storage devices (e.g., internal/external hard disks, floppydiscs, magnetic tape CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, optical disk, ZIP™drive, Blu-raydisk, and others), which may be written to and/or read by a processoroperably connected to the medium.

In certain embodiments, examples may be embodied in the form ofcomputer-implemented processes and apparatuses such as processor-baseddata processing and communication systems or computer systems forpracticing those processes. The present inventions may also be embodiedin the form of software or computer program code embodied in anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which when loaded intoand executed by the data processing and communications systems orcomputer systems, the computer program code segments configure theprocessor to create specific logic circuits configured for implementingthe processes.

Collars and other devices (e.g., harnesses, leashes) are devices used onanimals, such as pets, to constrain the pet. For example, a pet may weara collar and leash during a walk with a pet owner so that the petremains with the pet owner. Pet collars may be used to store and/orconvey information, such as identification information of the pet and/orthe pet owner, address information of the pet, medical information ofthe pet, etc. The information may be provided via an electronic deviceand/or a non-electronic device. Devices (e.g., electronic devices) maybe used within a collar and/or may be coupled to a collar. For example,an electronic device may be used to store information of a pet and/or apet owner. Examples of devices that may house or couple to an electronicdevice may include one or more mechanisms worn by a pet for constrainingthe pet, storing information relating to the pet, and/or transmittinginformation of the pet. Such devices worn by the pet may include aharness, bracelet, anklet, belt, earring, headband, and the like.

As described herein, there may be reasons that it is desirable to use anelectronic device in addition to wearing a collar, or without thewearing of a collar. For example, an electronic device (e.g.,information provided by an electronic device) may be desired in additionto, or as an alternative to, a collar. As an example, informationprovided by an electronic device and/or to the electronic device may bedesired when a pet is not wearing a collar. A pet may not wear a collarfor many reasons, such as the animal's size (e.g., collars may not fitsmall or large animals), the collar being uncomfortable to the pet, theowner of the pet not wanting their pet to wear a collar (or wanting thepet to wear a collar for specific occasions, such as wearing GPS monitorcollars for when the pet is outside), a pet owner forgetting to place acollar upon the pet, etc. In other examples, pets may not wear collarsdue to safety concerns around collar use, such as a danger of the collargetting caught on something, thereby presenting a choking hazard. Petsmay not wear collars due to medical conditions (e.g., dermatitis,collapsed trachea, etc.), and the like. Despite the lack of a collar,there may be a continued desire to collect and/or transmit data (e.g.,behavior data) relating to the pet.

Electronic devices may be positioned on locations about a pet orlocations within a pet that are other than a collar of a pet. Theelectronic devices being positioned on locations other than a collar maybe useful for pets that do not wear collars or who wear collars on alimited basis. As an example, electronic devices may be implantablewithin a pet. By implanting the electronic device within the pet, theelectronic device may monitor and/or transfer data relating to the petwhether the pet is wearing a collar (or similar device) or not.Additional benefits of implanting the electronic device(s) may includeallowing the monitoring of data (e.g., behavior data) of the pet withoutthe need for the electronic device to be manually manipulated, forexample, to complete tasks such a data transfer, power charging, and thelike. Although the disclosure may use the term implant throughout, itshould be understood that this is a non-limiting term. In other examplesthe device may be injected within the animal, coupled to the animal, asdescribed herein.

Electronic devices may be found in one or more devices (e.g., housings)implantable within a pet. As described herein, the implantable device(e.g., housing holding one or more electronic devices) may be used incombination with one or more devices located on a collar or otherarticle coupled to a pet. In examples, however, the implantable devicemay be a standalone device that is not used in combination with one ormore devices located on a collar or other article coupled to a pet. Asan example, the implantable device may perform services (such asmonitoring data relating to the pet, storing the data relating to thepet, transferring the data relating to the pet, recharging, etc.) as astandalone device. When the implantable device acts as a standalonedevice it may not be used in combination with one or more deviceslocated within a collar when monitoring behavioral data of the pet, forexample.

In examples, the implantable device may communicate with one or moredevices (e.g., mobile device, tablet, computer, etc.) to transfer data,provide alerts, and the like. The implantable device may communicatewith one or more devices whether the implantable device is a standalonedevice or not a standalone device. For example, the implantable devicemay communicate with one or more mobile devices, tablets, computers,other implantable devices (within the same pet or within a differentpet), internet of things (IoTs) devices, servers (e.g., cloud-basedservers), and the like. The implantable device may communicate with oneor more devices using one or more wireless communication modes known inthe art, such as via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (standard or lower), and the like.

One or more electronic devices (e.g., electronic devices withinimplantable device or coupled to implantable device) may store,transmit, and/or receive information of the pet. For example, theelectronic device may monitor the movement and/or location informationof the pet and transmit the movement and/or location information to anexternal device, such as a mobile device or a server. As an example,electronic devices within implantable device may provide radiocommunication with a base station that may provide the location and/orproximity of the animal, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices mayreside in the electronic device or communicate with the electronicdevice and may be used for locating the pet (e.g., over distances), etc.In examples electronic devices within implantable device may locate thepet via one or more other monitoring methods, such as via Wi-Fi locationmonitoring, cellular location monitoring and/or triangulation, Bluetoothtracking and/or triangulation, etc.

Electronic device(s) within implantable device may communicate with oneor more mobile devices, servers, and/or base stations to provide and/orreceive information. Electronic devices may communicate with devicesand/or objects other than servers and base stations, as describedherein. For example, electronic devices may communicate with otheritems, such as items found in a home. Such items may include, forexample, items worn by the pet (such as pet collars), pet beds, petfeeders, litter boxes, water bowls, floors within a home in which thepet resides, implantable devices found within other pets, etc. Theelectronic devices may store, process, and/or communicate informationrelating to the pet, the owner of the pet, and/or a caregiver (e.g.,veterinarian) of the pet. The electronic device and/or the objects maydetermine when the electronic device is proximate to the object (e.g.,via a proximity sensor), and may transmit (e.g., only transmit) signalsupon the electronic device and the object being proximate to oneanother.

Information processed by the electronic device may relate to locationinformation of the pet, movement information of the pet, and the like,although in examples the information may be unrelated to suchinformation. For example, the information stored, processed, and/orcommunicated by the electronic device may include biometric informationrelating to the animal. Such information may include glucose informationrelating to the animal, cardiac monitoring of the animal, heart rateinformation relating to the animal, blood pressure relating to theanimal, pulse information relating to the animal, blood oxygeninformation relating to the animal, respiration rate informationrelating to the animal, temperature information relating to the animal,and the like. In other examples information relating to the animal mayinclude address information of the animal, contact information of theanimal or owner of the animal, medical information relating to theanimal (such as the illnesses of the animal and/or medications taken bythe animal), and the like. The information may be electronically stored,processed, and/or communicated (e.g., wirelessly communicated from theelectronic device to an external device, such as a mobile device,server, and the like). As used herein, the term “information” may referto any signals, data, or other information from a sensor or otherdevice, as well as any signals, data, or other information derived fromsuch information. For example, location or movement information mayrefer to signals or data from a sensor that are indicative of a locationor movement, and may also (or alternatively) refer to data orinformation derived from such sensor signals or data.

FIG. 1 shows an example implantable device 100. Implantable device 100may be implanted within an animal (e.g., subcutaneously), coupled to theanimal (such as directly coupled to the body of an animal or indirectlycoupled to an animal, such as being coupled to a collar worn by theanimal), etc. Device 100 may be implanted (e.g., subcutaneouslyimplanted) within an animal, for example, via an injecting of thedevice, via an incision, and the like. For example, device 100 may beplaced under the skin of the animal via an incision, a needle, and thelike. In other examples the device 100 may be placed within the body ofthe animal via the animal swallowing the device. In other examples thedevice 100 may be coupled to one more portions that may be under theskin of the animal, within the body or the animal, above the skin of theanimal, outside the body of the animal, and the like.

In examples the device 100 may be implanted within an animal via amedical procedure, such as via a spay/neutering procedure of the animal.The electronic device 100 may be coupled to the animal via a suturing ofthe device to one or more portions of the animal, including one or moreinternal or external portions of the animal. In examples the device 100may be sutured to a bone of an animal. Although the device 100 may bedescribed as being implanted within the animal, the device may also becoupled outside of the skin of the animal, such as via a contact lens, atooth crown, in or on the animal's hair, as an ear tag, on the tail(such as the base of the tail), on the paw, and the like. Device 100 maybe implanted with a cavity of the animal, such as stomach of the animal,a scrotum of the animal. The device 100 may be implanted within a cavityof the animal created during a spay or neuter procedure of the animal(such as in the stomach or a groin of the animal, and the like).

As described herein, implantable device 100 may include one or moredevices for processing, storing, transmitting, receiving, etc.,information relating to the animal. For example, implantable device 100may include one or more sensors 102. Implantable device 100 may includea housing that houses one or more electronic devices 102. Housing may beformed of one or more materials that may be tolerated within a pet whenimplanted. For example, the housing may be formed of one or more ofpolyurethane (e.g., a polyether-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)),silicone, urethane acrylic, glass, ceramic, titanium, and the like.

The housing of electronic device may be formed of one material in afirst portion, a second material in a second portion, etc. For example,the housing of electronic device may be formed of titanium in sometitanium portions 106, and other portions (e.g., portions in which thesensors communicate) of device 100 may be formed of a polyether-basedthermoplastic polyurethane. For example, FIG. 1 shows a TUP portion 104comprised of a polyether-based thermoplastic polyurethane. The housingmay be formed of one or more materials to facilitate different functionsof the implantable device 100. For example, TUP portion 104 may beformed around sensors to facilitate communication of the sensors, whilethe titanium portions 106 may be formed around the remaining portion ofdevice 100 (e.g., portions that do not require sensor communications).

The housing may be hermetically sealed, for example, via welding of thematerials forming the housing. The device 100 (e.g., housing ofimplantable device 100) may be sized and/or shaped so that the pet doesnot experience discomfort upon the implanting of the implantable device100 and/or while housing the implantable device 100 within or about thebody of the pet. For example, the device 100 may be shapedcylindrically, as shown on FIG. 1 . The implantable device 100 may bethinly shaped, and the like. In examples the implantable device 100 maybe less than 10 millimeters long and 1 millimeter thick, althoughpreferably the implantable device 100 may be less than 2 millimeterslong and ½ of a millimeter thick.

One or more exterior portions of housing of implantable device 100 maybe smooth, although in examples one or more portions of housing ofimplantable device 100 may be textured. For example, one or moreportions of housing of implantable device 100 may be textured to preventor mitigate implantable device 100 from moving within the body of thepet. In examples, housing may include (or be coupled to) one or morematerials configured to prevent implantable device 100 from movingwithin the body of the pet. For example, housing of implantable device100 may include a mesh portion 108 that may be configured to hold inplace implantable device 100 within a portion of the body of the animal(e.g. to prevent the implantable device 100 from migrating within orabout the animal).

FIG. 2 shows an example implantable device 200 made up of one or morecomponents. Implantable device 200 may be the same, or similar, toimplantable device 100 (FIG. 1 ). Implantable device 200 may include oneor more electronic devices. In examples, one or more of the componentsof implantable device 200 may be found within implantable device 200,outside of implantable device 200, or a combination thereof. One or moreof the components of implantable device 200 may be used to store,process (e.g., determine), receive (e.g., actively receive, such ascollect), and/or transmit information relating to the pet and/or the petparent, including identification information, location information,medical information, biometric information, etc. The information may bereal-time information and/or data that was previously processed andstored. Implantable device 200 may be one or more processors, sensors,transponders, etc., including a combination thereof.

Implantable device 200 may include and/or communicate with variouscomponents. For example, implantable device 200 may include and/orcommunicate with one or more of accelerometer 202, temperature sensor204, global positioning system (GPS) sensor 214, gyroscope 206,magnetometer 218, glucose sensor 208, processor 210, memory 212,communication interface 220, and/or battery 216. One or more components(e.g., processor 210, temperature sensor 204) of the electronic devicemay perform additional detections, such as determining heart rateinformation relating to the animal, blood oxygen information relating tothe animal, respiration rate information relating to the animal,temperature information relating to the animal, and the like.Implantable device 200 may communicate with one or more components thatare external to the implantable device 200, via a Bluetooth connection,a Wi-Fi connection, and the like.

Processor 210 may store, receive (e.g., actively receive), and/ortransmit identification information of the pet and/or pet owner. Forexample, processor 210 may store, receive (e.g., actively receive),and/or transmit real-time information of the pet and/or pet owner.Processor 210 may be within (e.g., integrated within) implantable device200, although in examples one or more processors 210 may be coupledwithin or outside implantable device 200. Processor 210 may beconfigured to translate, process, and/or store data from componentshoused within implantable device 200 (e.g., accelerometer 202, gyroscope206, magnetometer 218, etc.). Processor 210 may be configured to permitimplantable device 200 to function and/or assist in one or more modes,such as active mode, sleep mode, transmit mode, onboarding mode, etc.

Implantable device 200 may identify and/or determine biometric data of apet, such as a pet's glucose level, heart rate, pulse, blood pressureand/or blood oxygen level, respiration rate, temperature, etc. Thebiometric data may be used to determine and/or transmit a healthcondition of the pet, such as an unsafe temperature, glucose level,heart rate, and the like. Implantable device 200 may communicateinformation (e.g., biometric data, location data, movement data, etc.)to one or more persons, such as to the pet parent, a veterinarian, andthe like. The implantable device 200 may communicate information via thecommunication interface 220 via one or more communication methodologies,such as via Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low-Energy, Wi-Fi, Cellular, and thelike.

Implantable device 200 may communicate the information based on an alert(such as the animal moving beyond a designated area, the animal havingan unhealthy glucose level, and the like). Implantable device 200 maydetermine and/or transmit location information of the pet, for example,to determine when the pet is inside/outside of the home of the pet,inside/outside a predetermined play area, and the like. Implantabledevice 200 may have cellular or other WAN transmission capabilities,which may provide communication capabilities with an external device,such as a mobile device, tablet, server, or the like.

Implantable device 200 may identify the pet and/or the pet owner,monitor the location of the pet, monitor biometric information of a petor activity (e.g., heart rate, steps, calories burned, etc.) of the pet,and the like. Implantable device 200 may identify such information viaone or more sensors, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, glucosesensors, temperature sensors, heart rate sensors, magnetometers,electrocardiogram (EKG, otherwise known as ECG) electrodes,photoplethysmography (PPGs) and/or reflection mode PPGs (PPGr) sensors,or one or more other sensors of implantable device 200 or external toimplantable device 200 that detect information of an animal. Forexample, implantable device 200 may identify biometric data of theanimal via biosensors to determine health indicators of the animal, suchas glucose, cortisol, serotonin, serum symmetric dimethylarginine(SDMA), and other indicators of the animal. Processor 210 may monitorsuch data over certain time periods. An example processor 210 may be anARM Cortex M0-M3, or the like.

Accelerometer 202 may measure an activity and/or movement of a pet.Temperature sensor 204 may measure the pet's body temperature, gyroscope206 may measure the pet's orientation, and/or GPS 214 may identifyand/or determine the location (e.g., current location) of the pet.Memory 212 may be of any size. To perform proximity sensing, electronicdevice may include a cellular chip, Bluetooth (e.g., Bluetooth lowenergy), and the like.

Battery 216 may be contained within (e.g., self-contained within) ahousing of implantable device 200 and/or may be located about (e.g.,outside) housing of implantable device 200. Battery 216 may store acharge for operation of implantable device 200. Battery 216 may bechargeable (e.g., wirelessly chargeable, chargeable via a wire) whileelectronic device 200 is implanted within pet. For example, a wirelessinterface may be provided via implantable device 200 that may allow thebattery 216 to be charged while implantable device 200 (e.g.,implantable device 104) is within the body of the pet. Sensor (e.g.,proximity sensor) may be used to determine if implantable device 200 isnear a charging device. If the electronic device 200 is determined to beproximate to the charging device the charging device may charge battery216 of device 200. For example, if the electronic device 200 isdetermined to be within five feet of a charging device, ten feet of acharging device, thirty feet of a charging device, etc., the chargingdevice may charge battery 216 of device 200. Although the disclosuredescribes the charging device being external to the animal, in examplesthe charging device may be internal to the animal, such as below theskin of the anima, within the body of the animal, attached to theanimal, and the like.

Implantable device 200 may receive power via one or more batteries, suchas a Li-Po battery, although such battery is for illustration purposesonly and any type of battery may be used. In examples, implantabledevice 200 may receive power from charging device at substantially thesame time as the implantable device 200 receives information (e.g.,location information, movement information, biometric information) fromthe external device, although in examples the power and informationrelating to the animal may be received as separate times.

The information relating to the animal may be associated with apriority. For example, the accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer,biometric, etc., data may be associated with a priority. The prioritymay determine the order in which the information is processed, received,stored, and/or received with device 200 and external devices. Theinformation relating to the animal may be associated with a priority topreserve (e.g., reduce) power consumed and/or used by the device 200.The priority may be evaluated and/or determined based on the amount ofpower available to device 200. For example, device 200 may wirelesslyand/or transcutaneously communicate information with an external deviceaccording to predetermined priority rules and/or the amount of poweravailable to the device 200. As described herein, the information mayinclude accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, biometric, location,etc., data. The priority in which the data is sent may be based onpredetermined settings and/or on user requests. For example, a userrequest may receive a higher priority than information processed bydevice 200 based on a periodic. The user may indicate the priority to beassigned to the user request, such as indicating that a user request isto be assigned a low priority, a high priority, and the like.

As an example, device 200 may be configured to communicate to theexternal device information derived from the accelerometer, themagnetometer, and the gyroscope. In an example, the information derivedfrom the accelerometer may have (e.g., be assigned) a higher prioritythan the information derived from the magnetometer and gyroscope,although in other examples the magnetometer and/or gyroscope may have ahigher priority than the accelerometer data. As another example, thepriority of the information derived from the gyroscope may be increasedduring periods in which the animal is performing intense physicalactivity (such as when the animal is running or jumping). Biometric datamay have a higher priority than one or more types of information, suchas accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope, and location data. Thepriority assigned to the biometric data may be based on a safetyconcern. For example, biometric data relating to an unsafe temperature,heartbeat, glucose level, etc., of the animal may have a high prioritylevel. Based on the high priority level, such information may beprovided from device 200 to external device, such as to a user's mobiledevice, an external server, etc. In other examples data may be assignedlower priorities based on the activities of the animal, the time of day,the time of year, etc. For example, the priority of the informationderived from the accelerometer and magnetometer may be lowered duringlight activity periods of the animal, during times at which the animalmay be resting, sleeping, eating, urinating, and/or defecating.

Location data of the animal may have a higher priority than one or moretypes of information such as accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope, andbiometric data. The priority assigned to the location data may be basedon a safety concern. For example, the location data may be assigned anincreased priority if the animal moves into a prohibited area, such asoutside of the yard of the pet parent, a water area, the street, and thelike.

One or more pieces of data determined and/or stored by device may becombined and/or used with the one or more other pieces of data. Forexample, information derived from the magnetometer may be used withinformation derived from the accelerometer to estimate a distance and/ordirection traveled by the animal. In another example, informationderived from the gyroscope may be used with information derived from theaccelerometer to estimate a distance traveled by the animal. In anotherexample, location data may be used with one or more pieces of data, suchas the speed at which the animal is moving, the direction in which theanimal is moving, the glucose level of the animal, etc.

FIG. 3 shows an example system 300 which includes a pet 302 andimplantable device 304. Although an example location of implantabledevice 304 being at a belly of animal 302 is shown on FIG. 3 , it shouldbe understood that implantable device 304 may be located in one or moreother locations of animal 304, such as within a back, leg, tail, groin,contact lens, tooth, and the like. In examples, implantable device 304be under the skin of pet 302 and may not be accessible and/or visiblefrom outside the body of pet 302. Implantable device 304 may include oneor more electronic devices or couple to one or more electronic devices.System 300 may include a communication between implantable device 304and one or more external devices, such as user devices 306, server 308,GPS 312, and cellular network 310.

System 300 may include a network configured to enable exchange ofelectronic communications between devices connected to the network. Inexamples the network may facilitate communications between implantabledevice 304 (e.g., electronic devices housed within or coupled toimplantable device 304), one or more user devices 306, server 308 (e.g.,an external server, such as a cloud server), as well as one or moreelectronic devices. The network may include, for example, one or more ofthe Internet, Wide Area Networks (WANs), Local Area Networks (LANs),analog or digital wired and wireless telephone networks (e.g., a publicswitched telephone network (PSTN), Integrated Services Digital Network(ISDN), a cellular network 310, and Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)),radio, television, cable, satellite, Bluetooth (e.g., Bluetooth classicand Bluetooth low energy), Medical Implant Communication System band,and/or one or more other delivery or tunneling mechanisms for carryingdata. Implantable device 200 may include one or more antennas, such astwo antennas, for communicating. In an example in which implantabledevice 200 includes one or more (e.g., two) antennas, one antenna may beused to communicate via one protocol (e.g., Bluetooth) and the one ormore other antennas may be used to communicate via one or more otherprotocols (e.g., Wi-Fi).

System 300 may include multiple networks or subnetworks, each of whichmay include, for example, a wired or wireless data pathway. A networkmay include a circuit-switched network, a packet-switched data network,or any other network able to carry electronic communications (e.g., dataor voice communications). For example, the network may include networksbased on the Internet protocol (IP), the PSTN, packet-switched networksbased on IP, or other comparable technologies. The network may includeone or more networks that include wireless data channels and wirelessvoice channels. The network may be a wireless network, a broadbandnetwork, or a combination of networks including a wireless network and abroadband network.

One or more components (shown on FIG. 2 ) may be housed withinimplantable device 304, as described herein. In other examples one ormore components may be housed outside of implantable device 304 and/oroperationally coupled to implantable device 304. For example, one ormore components of implantable device 200 may be housed within a collar,bedding, feeding bowl, waste area, as described further herein.

System 300 may include a charging device, such as charging device 314.Charging device 314 may be configured to charge one or more batteries(such as battery 216) within implantable device 302. The charging device314 may charge the battery via one or more wired or wireless techniques.Example wireless techniques in which the charging device 314 may chargethe battery may include inductive coupling, magnetic resonance coupling,microwave/RF ultrasonic (e.g., triboelectric piezoelectric), and thelike.

Charging device 314 may be positioned such that implantable device 304(e.g., animal housing implantable device 304) may be in proximity ofcharging device 314 or move within a proximity of charging device 314.For example, charging device 314 may be positioned near an area or adevice that an animal may frequent. Examples may include charging device314 taking one or more form factors, such as a bed of the animal, acollar of the animal, a feeding bowl of the animal, a waste area/deviceof the animal, a play area of the animal, floors within a room that theanimal may frequent, tools used with an animal (such as a groomingtool), a pet scale, and the like. By placing the charging device 314 inone or more locations in which the animal may frequent, the chargingdevice 314 may charge/recharge the battery (such as battery 216) of theimplantable device 304 in a manner which would be unnoticed by theanimal 304, would be convenient for the animal or the pet owner, and/orwould not cause the animal 304 to change its habits or routines.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which an animal 402 is fitted with one ormore implantable devices 404A, 404B, 404C (collectively implantabledevice 404). The implantable device may be placed in more than onelocation (e.g., for sensing purposes). For example, an implantabledevice 404 may be placed in an location (such as a chest) of the animalto determine location of the animal 402, an implantable device 404 maybe placed in an location (such as an appendage) of the animal todetermine an injury to the appendage or a speed of an appendage, animplantable device 404 may be placed near an organ (such as the heart)of the animal to determine the heartbeat of the animal 402, etc.

As described herein, a charging device may be positioned around or abouta location in which the animal may be located (e.g., naturally located).FIG. 4 shows an example in which the charging device 406 is located on adevice (e.g., collar 408) coupled to the animal. Although FIG. 4 showsan example in which the charging device 406 is located on a device(e.g., collar 408) coupled to the animal 402, such example is forillustration purposes only. In other examples the charging device 406may be located on one or more portions of the animal 402, such as ananklet, tag (e.g., tail tag, eartag), ring (e.g., tail ring, earring),belt, and the like. In other examples, the charging device 406 may belocated on one or more locations that the animal may frequent, such as abedding of the animal, a feeding area, a waste area, and the like. Inexamples an external device for communicating (e.g., sending location,movement, biometric information, and the like) with the implantabledevice 404 may be located on the animal 402, such as on a collar 408 ofthe animal 402. The charging device 406 may send/receive signals 410 toand/or from one or more of the implantable devices 404. The chargingdevice 406 may be charged via one or more techniques. For example, thecharging device 406 may be charged via AC power, DC power, solar power,kinetic energy, and the like. The charging device may include anindicator indicating the amount of charge left on the charging device406, etc.

FIG. 5 is an example in which charging device 506 is placed within alocation that the animal 502 may visit, such as within a bedding 508 ofanimal 502. Although FIG. 5 shows an example in which the chargingdevice 506 is located within a bedding 508 of animal 502, such exampleis for illustration purposes only. In other examples as describedherein, the charging device 506 may be located within or on a feedingdevice, waste device, play device, and the like. Charging device 506 maybe located on one or more of a bottom, top, side, middle, etc., ofbedding 508. Charging device 506 may charge one or more implantabledevices 504A, 504B, 504C (collectively implantable device 504) coupledto the animal or implanted within the animal. For example, chargingdevice 506 may send and/or receive wireless signals 510 to and/or fromimplantable device 504 within animal 502. The charging device 506 may becharged via one or more techniques. For example, the charging device 506may be charged via an AC power cord 512, as shown on FIG. 5 .

FIG. 6 shows coils 607A, 607B, 607C (collectively coils 607) that may beused to charge the implantable device, as described herein. For example,one or more coils may be located in the bedding of animal, such asbedding 508 (FIG. 5 ). The efficiency of the coils 607 may be based onthe diameter and/or cross-section of the coils 607. A bed (e.g., small)bed may allow for a large format coil 607 that may be used for chargingimplantable devices. The coils 607 may be placed under, within, on theside(s) of, and/or above one or more of animal beds, animal feeders,animal waste areas, animal play areas, and the like. In an example thecharging device may detect an implantable device (e.g., via a proximitysensor, a pressure sensor, a sound, an image). The charging device mayprovide power to the implantable device upon (e.g., only upon) detectingthe implantable device. For example, a charging device may be locatedwithin a bedding. The charging device within the bedding may include apressure sensor that detects when an animal rests upon the bedding. Upondetecting the animal resting upon the bedding the charging device maysend (e.g., wirelessly send) charging signals to the implantable device.The charging device may cease sending the charging signals uponreceiving an indication that the implantable device is fully chargedand/or upon the charging device receiving an indication that the animalis no longer resting upon the bedding (e.g., the pressure sensor withinthe bedding may detect that the pressure upon the bedding has ceased).

In other examples, a charging device may include a camera or microphonethat may detect the presence or absence of the animal. For example, afeeding bowl may include a microphone that detects the presence (viasound) of an animal. The charging device may provide a power signal whenthe charging device detects the animal proximate the feeding bowl andmay cease power signals upon the animal leaving the proximity of thefeeding bowl. Another example may include a play area including acharging device having a camera (e.g., still or moving camera) thatdetects the presence of the animal or absence of the animal. Thecharging device may send charging signals upon the charging devicedetecting the animal proximate the play area and may cease power signalsupon the animal leaving the proximity of the play area. The chargingdevice may perform one or more additional functions in addition toproviding power to the implantable device. For example, the chargingdevice may be configured to receive and/or send information relating tothe animal, such as location data, movement data, biometric data, andthe like. The charging device may be configured to save informationrelating to the animal, process information relating to the animal, andthe like.

FIG. 7 shows an example process 700 for using an implantable device(e.g., an electronic device, such as device 100, 200) configured toprovide information relating to an animal. At 702, the electronic devicemay be implanted within the animal and/or coupled to the animal, asdescribed herein. For example, the implantable device may be implantedunder the skin of the animal, within the body of the animal, attached tothe animal via a contact lens, earring, and the like. The electronicdevice may include one or more components, such as one or more sensors,memories, communication interfaces, batteries, etc.

At 704, the sensors of the electronic device may determine informationrelating to the animal. The information may relate to location and/ormovement information of the animal, biometric information relating tothe animal, etc. At 706 the information may be stored. The informationmay be stored on the electronic device and/or one or more externaldevices, such as a mobile device or server. At 708 the information maybe communicated (e.g., wirelessly communicated) to one or more devices,such as a mobile device or external server. The information may becommunicated via one or more technologies, such as via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth(e.g., Bluetooth classic, Bluetooth low energy), LAN, etc.

At 710 power may be provided to the electronic device. For example, oneor more batteries of the electronic device may be charged (e.g.,recharged). The one or more batteries of electronic device may becharged while the electronic device is implanted within the animal, inexamples, although in other examples the batteries of the electronicdevice may be charged while the electronic device is removed from theanimal. Batteries of the electronic device may be wirelessly chargeable,chargeable via a wire. For example, a wireless interface may be providedvia electronic device that may allow the batteries to be charged whilethe electronic device is within the body of the pet.

In examples a sensor (e.g., proximity sensor) may be used to determineif the electronic device is near a charging device, as described herein.If the electronic device is determined to be proximate to the chargingdevice (e.g., only if the electronic device is determined to beproximate to the charging device), the charging device may charge thebattery. For example, if the electronic device is determined to bewithin five feet of the charging device, ten feet of the chargingdevice, thirty feet of charging device, etc., the charging device maycharge battery of the electronic device. The electronic device mayreceive power via one or more batteries, such as a Li-Po battery,although such battery is for illustration purposes only and any type ofbattery may be used.

While the inventions have been described with respect to specificexamples including presently preferred modes of carrying out theinventions, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there arenumerous variations and permutations of the above described systems andtechniques. It is to be understood that other embodiments may beutilized and structural and functional modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present inventions. Thus, the spirit andscope of the inventions should be construed broadly as set forth in theappended claims.

1. A system for tracking an animal comprising: an electronic deviceconfigured to be implanted within an animal and comprising: (a) one ormore sensors configured to determine information relating to the animal;(b) a memory device configured to store the information relating to theanimal; (c) a communication interface configured to wirelessly andtranscutaneously communicate the information to an external deviceaccording to predetermined priority rules; and (d) a battery device forproviding power to at least one of the one or more sensors or thecommunication interface.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein theelectronic device comprises an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and agyroscope.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication interfaceis configured to wirelessly and transcutaneously communicate to theexternal device information derived from the accelerometer, themagnetometer, and the gyroscope, the information derived from theaccelerometer having a higher priority than the information derived fromthe magnetometer and gyroscope.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein theinformation derived from the magnetometer is used with the informationderived from the accelerometer to estimate a distance and directiontraveled by the animal.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein theinformation derived from the gyroscope is used with the informationderived from the accelerometer to estimate a distance traveled by theanimal.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the priority of theinformation derived from the accelerometer and magnetometer is loweredduring light activity periods of the animal.
 7. The system of claim 6,wherein the light activity periods of the animal comprise periods inwhich the animal is resting, sleeping, eating, urinating, or defecating.8. The system of claim 3, wherein the priority of the informationderived from the gyroscope is heightened during periods in which theanimal is performing intense physical activity.
 9. The system of claim8, wherein the periods in which the animal is performing intensephysical activity comprise periods in which the animal is running orjumping.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interfaceis configured to wirelessly communicate the information via Wi-Fi. 11.The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface is configuredto wirelessly communicate the information via one or more of Bluetooth,Bluetooth Low Energy, or a Medical Implant Communication System band.12. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface isconfigured to wirelessly communicate the information via an unlicensedband.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device isconfigured to determine biometric information relating to the animal.14. The system of claim 13, wherein the biometric information comprisesat least one of glucose information relating to the animal, heart rateinformation relating to the animal, blood oxygen information relating tothe animal, respiration rate information relating to the animal, ortemperature information relating to the animal.
 15. The system of claim1, wherein the electronic device is configured to be injected within theanimal.
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interfaceis configured to wirelessly and transcutaneously communicate theinformation according to a schedule.
 17. A method for tracking an animalcomprising: implanting an electronic device within an animal, theelectronic device comprising: (a) one or more sensors configured todetermine the information relating to the animal; (b) a memory deviceoperably coupled to the one or more sensors; (c) a communicationinterface operably coupled to the one or more sensors or the memorydevice; and (d) a battery device for providing power to at least one ofthe one or more sensors or the communication interface determining,using the one or more sensors, information relating to the animal;storing, by the memory device, the information relating to the animal;and wirelessly and transcutaneously communicating, by the communicationinterface, the information relating to the animal to an external deviceaccording to predetermined priority rules.
 18. The method of claim 17,wherein the electronic device comprises an accelerometer, amagnetometer, and a gyroscope.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein thecommunication interface is configured to wirelessly and transcutaneouslycommunicate to the external device information derived from theaccelerometer, the magnetometer, and the gyroscope, the informationderived from the accelerometer having a higher priority than theinformation derived from the magnetometer and gyroscope.
 20. The methodof claim 17, wherein the priority of the information derived from theaccelerometer and magnetometer is lowered during light activity periodsof the animal.